Tiering means for trays



July 15, 1952 D. M. JAMES TIERING MEANS FOR TRAYS Filed April 9, 1947Patented July 15, 1952 TIERING MEANS FOR ,'.limrsV` y David MaldonJames, Manchester, EnglandV Application April 9, 1947,Serial No..740,348I In Great Britain November kEU), 1945 v section' ri, rubuc Law 690,Augst s, 1946 'Patent-- expires November 10, 1965 This invention isconcerned with wire mesh receptacles capable of being arranged one aboveanother in tiers, and has reference for example to iiling trays and thelike for ofce use, to vegetable racks, cake stands, and the like fordomestic and shop use, andv to display stands, storage bins or trays forfactories, and for similar purposes.

The invention aims at providing simple, cheap, andr easily-operatedmeans for connecting standard ready-made trays or specially-designedtrays together in tiers, to any suitable height, and comprises the useof spring members adapted to .engage the mesh in or on a lower tray attwo points land shaped so that, when stressed, they may be engaged withthe mesh in a higher tray and, when released,v hold such higher trayrigidly-by reason of the retained stress. In the wire'mesh trays orracks, the meshes themselves will readily provide the necessary openingsfor the connecting members. I

'Ihe connecting members are preferably of Wire and, Ain the usual cases,will comprise a folded length of wire with the loop of the foldlowermost.

According to another featureof the invention, each' connecting memberisIbent or kinked near the lower end to engage the upper edge ofthe lowertray and is shaped below the kink so that, when unstressed theconnecting members on opposite sides of the tray assume positions withtheir upper ends splayed widely, these upper ends requiring to be movedinwards to engage the next higher tray, and during such action, beingstressed so as (when released after engagement with the upper tray) bothto bind on the lower tray and to grip the upper tray tightly.

According to a further feature of the invention, the upper ends of theconnecting members are kinked at several points, at varying distancesfrom their ends, so as to provide adjustment for height by the uppertray engaging one or other of the kinks. l

`'Usually the connecting members will each connect upper and lower traysat the same side and at the same end of the trays, but if desired, theycould be arranged to cross each other either from side-to-side of thetrays or from end-to-end.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of an assembly of three wire-mesh basketsof the filing tray type, with one form of the connector adopted therein;Fig. 2 is an end View of a basket showing in full lines th'e initialunstressed position of one connector. and in broken lines the iinalstressedA 5 5 claims. (cl. zii- 126) -2 position, and showing also howIare threadedinto position; i

Fig. 3is a perspective view of one of the connectors shown in Figs. 1and 2, but detached from thetrays. i f. y i

Referring to Figs. 1-3, the wire filing trays l, 2. 3. are offstandardtype having -a square mesh and the connecting members each.comprise a folded length or spring wireythe two limbs of the fold beingbent or cranked at 4, a short distance iromvthe loop '5. then inclinedat V to the end portion 1, next kinked deeply at 8 and thereafterinclining to the freeend where they are bent backwards atA 9, and theextremities formed ashooks I0.

The lform of the wire is isuch that, with vthe lower, looped end 'Ipassed through a mesh in the the connectors Aside wall of the tray, fromthe outside, the kink 8 ts into another mesh-,in the side wall, alsofrom the outside (see Fig. 2), thereby preventing sideways movement of.the connecting member,

and in this position the member stands upright, but with its upperendsplayed away from the upper tray. By` bending the upper endlbackwards, the hooks I0 at the extremity may be caused to engage one ofthe Wires of the base of the nexty higher tray, against which it becomesstressed when-released, thereby holding.` the parts firmly together.Usually, and as shown, the hooks Ill will engage, the wire which isiirst from the corner, the length, of the parts 9 being such thattheupstanding part of the connector meets theV cornerjof .the tray. e

Usually, one connecting member at each corner ofthe trays will suiiceand theparts 9 of the connecting members for a lower tray may be passedthrough the loops 5 o f the connecting members for the next higher tray.

In addition, brackets may be provided whereby the assembly could be hungfrom a wall. These may comprise lengths of wire, looped to engage anail, screw or the like in the wall and having hook ends to engage oneor other of the trays.

With the baskets and connectors colored, as by dipping, and withalternate baskets of a different color, and the connectors of anothercolor, very attractive assemblies can be built up.

What I claim is:

1. In a tray assemblyincluding a plurality of trays each havingperforated side Walls and a perforated bottom wall, in combination, aplurality of spring wire assembly elements of elongated U-shape, theopenend of the U beingupsubsequently released engagementwith the tionformed on the lower end thereof and being cranked so as to extendinwardly through a side wall and downwardly through the bottom wall of atray, a straight upper portion ending in an upper engaging portioncomposed of two hookshaped ends formed upon the upper end of each ofsaid spring wire assembly elements y and adapted to extend upwardlythrough the bottom of the next higher tray and to engage a portionthereof, and an inwardly bent U-shaped deflected i portion intermediatesaid engaging portions and adapted to extend into an opening in saidside brought into engagement with thebottom wall l,

of said higher tray, retain the intermediate and lower engaging portionsthereof in tight engagement with said tray. V,

2. In a tray assembly in luding a plurality of trays each havingperforated side walls and a perforated bottom wall, in combination, aplurality of spring Ywire assembly elements, each of said spring wireassembly elementsY comprising a lower engaging portion formed on thelower end thereof and being cranked soas to extend inwardly. through `aside wall and downwardly through the bottom wall of a tray, a straightupper portion ending in an upper hook-shaped engaging portion formedupon the upper end of each of said spring wire assembly elements andadapted vto extend upwardly through 'the bottom of the next highertray'and to engagea portion thereof, and an inwardly bent U-shapeddeilected portion intermediate said engaging portions arid adapted toextend into an opening in said side wall of said tray fromY the outsidethereof, each o f said spring wire assembly elements having its upper`portion Vsufiieiently outwardl'y Vbent'fso that spring wire assemblyelements arrangedonropposite sidewalls of said tray assume positions-inwhich the upper ends thereof are splayed away from said next higher trayin such a relative position that-said 'hook- Ashaped upper engagingportions require to be forced resilintlyhover said tray towards eachother to resiliently'engage the bottom wall of said next highertrayfthereabove'yand, when after bein-g brought' into i bottomwallnofsaid next higherv tray, retain the intermediate and lowerengaging portions thereof -inv tight engagement with Ysaid tray. Y l

3. In a tray assembly including a`plurality of trays each havingperforated side walls anda perforated bottom wall, in combination, aplurality of spring wire assembly-elements of an4 elongated U-shape, theopen end oftheU being uppermost, each yof said spring wire assemblyelements comprising a lower looped engaging portion formed on the lowerend thereof and being cranked so as to extend inwardly through a sidewall and downwardly through the bottom wall yof a tray and to form aprojectingjloop under the bottom wall` of said tray, a straightupperportion ending in anupper engaging porwire assembly elementsarranged on opev tion composed of two hook-shaped ends formed upon theupper end of each of said spring wire assembly elements and adapted topass substantially horizontally from the outside through the projectingloop on the lower end of another U- shaped spring wire assembly elementarranged above said spring wire assembly element for engaging said nexthigher tray with its lower engaging portion, and then to extend upwardlythrough the bottom of the next higher tray and to engage a portionthereof, and an inwardly bent U-shaped deflected portion intermediatesaid engaging portions and adapted to extend finto an opening in saidside wall of said tray from the outside thereof, each of said springwire assembly. elements having its upper portion sufiiciently loutwardlybent so that spring wire assembly elements arranged on opposite sidewalls of said tray assume positions in which the upper ends thereof aresplayed away from said next higher tray in such a relative position thatsaid hook-shaped upper Aengaging portions require t0 be forcedresiliently over said tray towards each other to pass through saidprojecting loops of said other U-shaped spring wire assembly element andto resiliently engage the bottom wall of said next higher traythereabove, and, when subsequently released after being brought intoengagement withthe bottom wall of said next higher tray, retain theintermediate and lower .engaging portions thereof lin tight engagement.with said tray. Y

4. In a tray assembly including a plurality of trays each havingperforated side walls and a perforated bottom wall, in combination, aplurality of spring wire assembly elements of an elongated U-shape, theopen end of the U being uppermost, each of said spring wire assemblyelements comprising a lower looped engaging portion formed on the lowerend thereof and ,being cranked so as to extend inwardly through a sidewall and downwardly through the bottom wall of atray,v a substantiallystraight intermediate portion of said spring wire assembly elementlocated adjacent to said lower engaging portion adapted to -engage saidVside wall of said tray, a straight upper portion ending in an upperengaging p0rtion composed of two hook-shapedends formed upon ther-upperend of each of said spring Wire assembly'elements and adapted to extendupl saidfspring wire assembly elements having its upper portionsufiiciently outwardly bent relative Yto said straight intermediateportion so that spring Vwire assembly elements arranged on opposite sidewalls of said tray assume positions in whlchgthe upper ends thereof aresplayed away ffrorrrV said next higher tray in Vsuchra relativepositionV that said hook-shaped upper engaging portions require beforced resiliently over said tray towards each other to resilently.engage Ithe rbottom wallrof said next higher tray thereabove,

' and,V 'when subsequently released .after being brought into engagementwith the bottomrwall of said-next -higher tray, retain the intermediateandlower engagingA portions thereof in tight engagement with' said tray.

5. In a tray assembly -includinga plurality of trays each havingperforated sidewalls and a perforated'bottom wall, in combination, aplurality'of spring wire assembly elements of an elongated U-shape, theopen end of the U being uppermost, each vof said spring Wire assemblyelements comprising a lower' looped engaging portion formed on the lowerend thereof and being cranked so as to extend inwardly through a sidewall and downwardly through the bottom wall of a tray, a substantiallystraight intermedie ate portion of said spring wire assembly elementlocated adjacent to said lower engaging portion adapted to engage saidside wall of said tray, a straight upper portion ending in an upperengaging portion composed of two hook-shaped ends formed upon the upperend of each of said spring wire assembly elements and adapted to extendupwardly through the bottom of the next higher tray and to engage aportion thereof, and an inwardly bent U-shaped deflected portionintermediate said straight intermediate portion and said upper portionand adapted to extend into an opening in said side Wall of said trayfrom the outside thereof, each of said spring wire assembly `elementshaving its upper portion suiciently outwardly bent relative to saidstraight intermediate portion so that spring wire assembly? elementsarranged on opposite side walls of said tray assume positions in whichthe upper ends thereof are splayed away from said next REFERENCES CITEDThe following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 921,694 Hall May 18, 1909 987,410Snyder Mar. 21, 1911 994,984 Dennis June 13, 1911 1,386,878 Lamp Aug. 9,19214 2,235,709 i Hearn et al Mar. 18, 1941

